I am hoping to drive home my new bus this weekend and just had to ask this first. I have driven large vehicles before but nothing in a stick. Any tips or suggestions or warnings on how to shift one? Or warnings? The only standards that I am familiar with are in cars, trucks and offroad buggies. The only think I have heard so far is to not depress the clutch completely unless at a dead stop shifting into first (clutch brake). As always thanks for the help, I really dont feel like learning how to changeout a clutch just yet...

TrevorH, if you can walk and chew gum at the same time you will do just fine. Nothing to it actually. A tack is not really needed with just a five speed. Use the speedo instead. Remember to put it against the governor and don't be afraid to grind gears a little. Double clutch, have fun, act goofy, smile alot and be sure to stop and smell the roses. Nuf' said.

Have you thought about seeing if one of our busnuts would be able to meet you at the time of pickup? One thing that could help is to find a BIG parking lot or a really dead road to practice in. When I picked up my first bus, I had never driven anything bigger than a 27ft motorhome and nothing with a diesel. Sticks were no problem, except for this one! Thankfully I brought my friend along with me (with more years driving truck in reverse than I've driven forward) and he helped me get the feel of the stick and timing the deceleration right to allow it to go into gear. Good Luck and have FUN!

Hey everyone, does this thing have an electric reverse in it? I've never driven more than a 4 speed spicer.

Trevor,I'll chime in on the "put it against the governor" thing. Driving one of these things is unlike anything you've ever driven before unless you've driven a diesel farm tractor. You put it in first, don't touch the throttle and let the clutch out slowly. The governor will keep it running and get you going. Then you can literally mash your foot on the throttle and hold it near the floor. The engine will wind up to about 2000 RPM and level out. It won't over rev. Then leave it in first gear and drive for awhile at 15 mph. Up and down hills, with your foot near the floor, the bus will stay at 15 mph. Same thing applies to the higher gears. Once you get the feel for operating at 2K you'll know when to shift. Coincidentally its at this point that the pressure is released from the gears and you can slip the lever out of first and sneak it into second as the engine revs down. But that takes awhile to figure out. I drove mine using the clutch four about six months before I figured out how to shift without it.

Absolutely to not run at lower RPMs in higher gears. Two strokes should not be lugged. Just keep it screaming and it will run cooler and last longer. Fred

Trevor,"put it against the governor"You put it in first, don't touch the throttle and let the clutch out slowly. The governor will keep it running and get you going. Then you can literally mash your foot on the throttle and hold it near the floor. The engine will wind up to about 2000 RPM and level out. It won't over rev. Then leave it in first gear and drive for awhile at 15 mph. Up and down hills, with your foot near the floor, the bus will stay at 15 mph. Same thing applies to the higher gears. Once you get the feel for operating at 2K you'll know when to shift. Coincidentally its at this point that the pressure is released from the gears and you can slip the lever out of first and sneak it into second as the engine revs down. But that takes awhile to figure out.

Absolutely to not run at lower RPMs in higher gears. Two strokes should not be lugged. Just keep it screaming and it will run cooler and last longer. Fred

Excellant way off putting it! Happy motoring remember they was called scream'n jimmy's for a reason! LOL!FWIW BK

I have old trucker drivers tell me that with the DD 2 strokes the best way to drive them is to slam your finger in the door as you get in to get yourself mad at it and drive it like you stole it --

I could not find the post but a couple of months ago a guy suggested that you run it as hard as it willl go then watch the exhaust out your mirror as you get to the speed you want (i drive mine wide open most of the time as it only run about 78 mph) then just back off the trottle as long as you maitain your speed and you will see the hint of black (un burnt fuel) smoke disappear from the exhaust which will translate into a bit of extra heat that the engine cannot turn into motion ... make sense and works well for me ...

I have old trucker drivers tell me that with the DD 2 strokes the best way to drive them is to slam your finger in the door as you get in to get yourself mad at it and drive it like you stole it --

I could not find the post but a couple of months ago a guy suggested that you run it as hard as it willl go then watch the exhaust out your mirror as you get to the speed you want (i drive mine wide open most of the time as it only run about 78 mph) then just back off the trottle as long as you maitain your speed and you will see the hint of black (un burnt fuel) smoke disappear from the exhaust which will translate into a bit of extra heat that the engine cannot turn into motion ... make sense and works well for me ...

FWIW - i am not an expert in the diesel engine world -- i am simply relating my experience -- i completly yield to the guys like makemine... and the others that diesel mechanics or have experience in this field

just leting you know what works for me --

makemine, what do you recomend for my 8v71 -- i will get a tach but were would you suggest operating it, i have a 4 speed manual -- i would guess that if it is govern around 2k and does 78 mph -- i should keep it around 72 mph -- to optimize fuel and oil compsumtion ... but it more fun to just hammer on it ... lol

Dparker, the 8v71s like more rpms than the 92 series 1900 to 2100 doesn't hurt those engine but it will leak more oil at 2100 if your is set on 2000rpm that is a little slow for a 8v71 people set them to 2500 rpm with few problems but 2150rpm is a good setting for a long lasting engine keep yours between 1600 and 1900 for the best performance and fuel mileage hope this helps some way